The article focuses on collective forms of alternative spirituality in urban environments in Slovakia, with special emphasis on emotional and ritualized mechanisms of cohesion within women’s circles. These gatherings, while emphasizing individual experience and personal spirituality, create specific forms of collective experience. Singing, dancing, movement, shared narratives, and affectively...
Based on an ethnographic study of ‘Western’ forms of contemporary shamanism in North East Scotland, the article discusses the significant role that eremitism plays in folk healing systems, particularly in shamanism. The tendency to live an isolated life is not only a key feature of traditional shamanic healing practices, but it can also be found in contemporary manifestations of them. Two such...
Český lidSeptember 15, 2020Dima Salibová6 citations
An indigenous Shuar community in Ecuador have been hosting tourists seeking retreats that feature traditional medicinal plants such as ayahuasca and tobacco. The community has provided individual ceremonies with the plants, or more complex rites such as Natemamu. Natemamu is a rite that is comprised of repetitive ceremonies lasting ten to twelve days, which involves drinking large quantities of...
The article presents an overview of contemporary Czech shamanism based on field research into Czech shamanic communities that the author has been conducting since 2017. Despite the specific Czech distrust of ‘religion’ and ‘formalized ritualization’ in general, shamanism enjoys considerable popularity. Particular attention is paid to the concept of illnesses and shamanic treatment. It is argued...
The paper addresses representations of danger in the spiritual sphere in contemporary society in Slovakia by exploring the specific case of neoshamanic groups. This argument is based on Mary Douglas’s theory and the representations of spiritual practices are interpreted in relation to the particular social context. I present the results of ethnographic research conducted in Bratislava. I argue...